<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Welcome Home by GeminiBee99</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27889570">Welcome Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeminiBee99/pseuds/GeminiBee99'>GeminiBee99</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!! Marriage Proposals [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, Engagement, Established Relationship, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mentions of SunaOsa BokuAka KageHina and KomoSaku, Mild Sexual Content, Post-Time Skip, Sakusa and Komori are childhood friends instead of cousins, Shinsuke is demisexual but that's not super important, high school sweethearts, mild jealousy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:15:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27889570</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeminiBee99/pseuds/GeminiBee99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shinsuke and Atsumu have managed to make their long-distance relationship work for several years now. Every chance they get to see each other is precious, but one reunion in particular will have a significant impact on their relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kita Shinsuke/Miya Atsumu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!! Marriage Proposals [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042161</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Welcome Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After graduating from high school, Atsumu and Shinsuke's jobs simply weren't conducive to living together. As a professional volleyball player, Atsumu was constantly going to the city for practice and traveling across the country for games; as a rice farmer, Shinsuke only “traveled” when he had a delivery to make (and those trips never took him farther than a ten mile radius of his home). Their lifestyles were exact opposites. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu's third year served as a sort of trial run for their relationship. Could they still manage their relationship while Shinsuke lived out in the countryside and Atsumu finished up high school? As it turned out, yes, they could. They texted each other every day, video chatted whenever they could, and spent time together whenever Atsumu had a break or Shinsuke could make it out to one of his game’s. Osamu had made a bet with Suna that his brother’s long-distance relationship with their former captain would fail miserably after less than a few months; years later, Suna was still winning that bet. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One day when Shinsuke was out in the fields as usual, a taxi pulled up at the end of the long dirt driveway leading to his property. He wiped the sweat off his brow and squinted, using his gloved hand to shield his eyes from the sun. A nicely dressed blonde man with a suitcase was stepping out of the taxi. Even at this distance, Shinsuke knew exactly who the man was, but he could hardly believe his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke met Atsumu halfway down the driveway. Despite the weight of his suitcase, Atsumu practically sprinted to close the last few feet between them. “Surprise~!” Atsumu exclaimed once they were face-to-face, throwing out his arms dramatically at his sides and beaming from ear to ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke returned his grin with a modest, though still joyful, smile. “It certainly is. What are you doing here?” he asked, absentmindedly brushing some of the dirt off of his knees. The last time they had seen each other had been when Shinsuke went to watch one of his volleyball games, but that was nearly half a year ago by this point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We got a week off from practice! The coach is entrusting us to still practice on our own, but I figured a few days on the farm couldn’t hurt,” Atsumu explained. “I have to head back on Friday, but five days together are better than none, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely. I would be glad to get to see you even for just half an hour,” Shinsuke readily agreed. Without any hesitation, Atsumu leaned over and pressed his lips against Shinsuke’s. The shorter man accepted the kiss, but then stepped back and turned towards the house. “I should get washed up first.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu blinked in surprise, then whined. “Aw, come on, Shin. I’ve been away for how long now? I’d want to kiss you even if you were covered head to toe in mud.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be ridiculous. That suit was probably expensive, it would be a shame to get it dirty. You’ve gone six months without kissing me, you can wait five more minutes.” Despite his stern words and tone, Shinsuke was eager to take Atsumu into his arms; he was just much more reserved and patient than his boyfriend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine. This suit </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>pretty pricey,” Atsumu conceded with a sigh and a slight pout. He shifted his suitcase to his other hand and followed his boyfriend down the dirt driveway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you so dressed up, anyway?” Shinsuke asked as they made their way to the house.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe I just wanted to look good for you. I look sexy in a three-piece, don’t I?” Atsumu teased with a suggestive grin, pulling at the jacket of his suit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look sexy all the time.” Atsumu’s confident smirk faltered and his cheeks flushed at Shinsuke’s candid answer. Shinsuke did like things to be neat and tidy, so of course he was pleased by Atsumu’s sharp appearance, but frankly he didn’t care all that much about what he wore. After all, he had fallen in love with him before he had even seen him wear anything that wasn’t a volleyball uniform.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once they made it to the house, Shinsuke quickly changed into clean clothes and washed his hands and face while Atsumu entertained himself with Shinsuke’s cat. Atsumu bolted to his feet as soon as Shinsuke returned. “Great, you’re not dirty. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now </span>
  </em>
  <span>can I kiss you?” Shinsuke responded by resting his hands on Atsumu’s shoulders and initiating a kiss himself. Atsumu immediately wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled their bodies closer together. Their relationship wasn’t an especially physical one, but after being apart for so long, they both wanted to soak up as much of each other’s taste, touch, and scent as much as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, they were satisfied enough to peel away from each other. Their eyes met as soon as their lips parted, and they both smiled. “It’s a little early for dinner, but I suppose I could get something started. I have all the ingredients for curry,” Shinsuke proposed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A thought suddenly occurred to Atsumu. “Wait, don’t you need to finish up in the fields? I kinda interrupted you, didn’t I? I mean, you already got all cleaned up, but...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke simply shook his head. “I was almost finished anyway. It’s nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow.” He shrugged casually, then his eyes landed on the suitcase laying by Atsumu’s feet. “You’re probably tired from your trip. You can use the bath while I get the kitchen ready,” he suggested.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A bath, huh? I was hoping you could join me,” Atsumu mused flirtatiously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No thank you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu flinched at Shinsuke’s flat rejection, but then he laughed. “Okay, okay, fine,” he allowed good-naturedly. He grabbed the handle of his suitcase and asked, “Where do you want me to put this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I still have a room set aside for you. It's all yours." Shinsuke gestured down the hallway. He had the house to himself after his grandmother had passed away, and so he had no trouble keeping a room set aside for Atsumu’s biannual-or-so visits. He cleaned the room every single day along with the rest of the house, and kept it straight and tidy just in case Atsumu ever showed up unexpectedly. Like he did today.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Atsumu threw back his head and laughed. "You honestly think I'm going to sleep in my </span>
  <em>
    <span>own room</span>
  </em>
  <span> after not seeing you for months? Don't be such a prude." Shinsuke simply smiled in response and happily allowed Atsumu to draw him into another long, deep kiss, his face held between the taller man’s hands. They had this conversation every single time Atsumu came to visit: Shinsuke just wanted him to know that he had his own space available should he feel that he needed it, but Atsumu never seemed to want any privacy during his stays at the Kita household.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With that being decided, Atsumu dropped off his belongings in Shinsuke’s bedroom then headed to the bathroom while Shinsuke started preparing dinner. He opted to take a shower instead of a bath because it was quicker, changed into a bathrobe that he’d left there the last time he visited, and joined Shinsuke in the kitchen. Looking up from the stove, Shinsuke smiled when he noticed what his boyfriend was wearing. “Oh, good, you found your robe. I wasn’t sure if you remembered that it was here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To be honest, I totally forgot about it, but I saw it sitting right there in the towel closet.” Atsumu wrapped his arms around Shinsuke from behind. “It’s almost as if you knew I was coming.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke shook his head and subconsciously leaned into Atsumu’s touch. “It’s not that I knew, it’s just that I always want to be prepared in the event that you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>come by. This house is your home as much as it is mine, so I want to make sure it’s ready for you at any time,” he explained earnestly without looking up from his cooking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu blinked a few times, then rested his head in the crook of Shinsuke’s neck. “Geez, you’re gonna make me cry...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While their meal simmered on the stove for a couple of hours, Shinsuke and Atsumu sat together on the porch, Shinsuke’s cat laying at Atsumu’s side and demanding constant head scratches. They didn’t have anything in particular to catch each other up on, since they always kept one another updated on the going-ons in their lives over the phone: Shinsuke already knew all the drama and gossip Atsumu had to share about his MSBY Black Jackal teammates, and Atsumu already knew every detail about Shinsuke’s rather uneventful idyllic life. So instead they just chatted about whatever happened to come to mind. It never felt awkward, even when they ran out of things to say; they were just happy to share each other’s presence. Atsumu had always been a bit of a wildcard, but when he was with Shinsuke, he felt grounded. He always felt at home with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eventually, they headed back inside to eat their dinner. “Want me to help?” Atsumu asked as Shinsuke cleaned off the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke shook his head. “No, I’m fine.” Atsumu shrugged; he had expected this answer. Shinsuke was very particular in how he cleaned and organized things, so Atsumu was more likely to get in his way than to actually help. He was used to his boyfriend’s OCD tendencies, but he still figured it would be polite to offer. He gave him a kiss on the cheek then departed to the bedroom they would be sharing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke had to take a bath once he was done cleaning up the kitchen, so Atsumu was left on his own for quite a while. Laying on his stomach on Shinsuke’s bed, he scrolled through social media and took some selfies, but it didn’t take long for him to grow bored with these activities. Pursing his lips, he sat up and absently gazed around the room. It was exactly the way it had been the last time Atsumu had spent the night there, which had been a couple of months before the game that Shinsuke came to. Everything was neatly in its place, much like the rest of the house. Eventually Atsumu’s eyes came to rest on the nightstand beside the bed. The only things on its surface were a lamp, an alarm clock, and a book with a bookmark, but if memory served him correctly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>inside </span>
  </em>
  <span>the nightstand... Curious and slightly impatient for Shinsuke’s return, Atsumu opened the top drawer. He immediately let out a laugh: just as he had suspected, Shinsuke’s stash of condoms had not changed location. “He really is ready for me to show up at any time,” Atsumu said to himself, amused. He closed the drawer before noticing the other object that was tucked away in its corner. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few minutes later, Shinsuke appeared, wearing a plush bathrobe similar to Atsumu’s. “I was starting to wonder if you’d drowned in the tub,” Atsumu teased, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re being dramatic.” Atsumu simply grinned and opened up his arms in response. Shinsuke smiled softly and climbed into his lap from the foot of the bed, resting his knees alongside Atsumu’s thighs and linking his arms behind Atsumu’s neck. Atsumu immediately pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed him. Although Shinsuke’s body was smaller than Atsumu’s, he managed to coax Atsumu into laying on his back simply by pressing their chests together. He just had that much control over the younger man; he always had. One touch, one word, and Atsumu was putty in his hands. It wasn’t something Shinsuke liked to brag about, though. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke slipped his hands out from behind Atsumu’s neck and placed them in a more comfortable position on his shoulders, while Atsumu wrapped his arms around Shinsuke’s back. “Oy, Shin... Are you in the mood to do it right now?” Atsumu murmured against his partner’s lips.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke raised an eyebrow. “I assumed that’s what we were about to do?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu couldn’t help but laugh and gave him a quick peck on the lips before saying, “Okay, yeah, just checking.” Shinsuke smiled appreciatively and shouldered out of his robe, then started to slip Atsumu out of his.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>One time when he was drunk, Atsumu revealed to his brother that Shinsuke was the top in their relationship, and Osamu would never let him live that down. Atsumu was so embarrassed by the drunken confession that he asked Shinsuke to be the bottom when they next had sex, and Shinsuke nonchalantly agreed. It wasn’t as if Shinsuke was particularly possessive over his position as a top: that just so happened to be the most compatible set up when they had sex. This proved to be true when Atsumu collapsed into a heap of humiliation after a mere two minutes of trying to dominate the older man. He had curled up in a ball and buried his burning face in his hands, but Shinsuke simply sat by his side and stroked his hair. He wasn’t going to hold the incident against him. From that night on, however, it was never even a question that Shinsuke would be the one in control in the bedroom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They always had the best sex after being apart for a long time, and this time was no exception. Atsumu finished first, then Shinsuke shortly after, and once they were both done they fell onto their backs at each other’s sides, panting with pleasure. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get cleaned up,” Shinsuke declared after a few seconds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously? At least let me catch my breath first!” Atsumu whined. He draped his arm across his eyes, but then he smiled. “Shouldn’t you have gotten a bath </span>
  <em>
    <span>after </span>
  </em>
  <span>we had sex?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke thought about that for a moment. “No. I would rather us both be clean while we did it. And besides, once I change the sheets and dab off the sweat, I don’t feel dirty after having sex with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu dropped his arm from his eyes and turned his head to stare at Shinsuke incredulously. Then he shook his head and laughed. “You’re too much.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After properly cleaning themselves up, Shinsuke and Atsumu got back into their robes and climbed back into bed. For the remainder of the night, Shinsuke flipped through the book from his nightstand while Atsumu returned to social media, his arm slung comfortably around Shinsuke’s shoulders. Atsumu took several selfies with him and posted them on Twitter and Snapchat with the caption, “Reunited with bae &lt;3.” Either Shinsuke didn’t mind, or he was too involved in his book to even notice that Atsumu had taken pictures. They proceeded in this laidback, peaceful manner for the rest of the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Atsumu woke up the following morning, Shinsuke was already awake, dressed, and preparing breakfast. He greeted Atsumu with a smile. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Better than I have in </span>
  <em>
    <span>months,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Atsumu replied with a yawn and a stretch. He wasn’t kidding, either: he always slept better with Shinsuke by his side. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he gratefully accepted a steaming mug of coffee. Shinsuke had prepared it just the way he liked it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know, Atsumu... I’m really glad that you came when you did,” Shinsuke said as they sat at the table and dug into their breakfast. “I actually bought something for you recently. I wasn’t sure when the proper time to give it to you would be, but now that you’re here, it seems like the perfect opportunity.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu tilted his head curiously. “You bought me something? Why couldn’t you just mail it to me?” he asked with a mouth full of omelet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not really the kind of thing I can send in the mail. It needs to be given in person,” Shinsuke explained ambiguously.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now Atsumu raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Well what is it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll show you after breakfast,” Shinsuke promised. Then, after seeing that his comment prompted Atsumu to start quickly shoveling food into his mouth, he added, “You’re going to choke.” Atsumu pouted like a scolded child and resumed eating at a normal pace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as they both finished, Shinsuke set their dishes in the sink and disappeared down the hallway to fetch the gift. It didn’t escape Atsumu’s notice that this was the first time he had seen Shinsuke leave dishes in the sink instead of washing them immediately, even if this was only for a few minutes. Whatever it was that Shinsuke had to give him, it must have been important. Atsumu took a sip of his coffee and anxiously waited for his boyfriend to return.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Back in his bedroom, Shinsuke fished through the drawer that Atsumu had perused the night before. From far in the back corner he retrieved a round piece of jewelry on a thin silver chain. He stared at it for a few moments, then steeled his resolve, closed his fist around the object, and headed back to the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke approached Atsumu at the table and held out his hand. “I’m sorry it’s not in a box or anything,” he apologized. Then he revealed what he was holding.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as Atsumu saw it, his eyes widened and his heart started to beat harder in his chest. “What’s that?” he asked, astonished. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a silly and redundant question, since Atsumu knew exactly what it was, but Shinsuke answered him anyway. “A promise ring. You’re too busy for us to get married anytime soon, so I thought this would be the next best thing. I wanted to show you that I intend to be with you in the long run, and to somehow remind the world that Atsumu Miya is off the market.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s not that Shinsuke was the jealous type, but Atsumu certainly wasn’t lacking in admirers. His social circle was large, and while Shinsuke was genuinely happy that his partner had so many wonderful friends, in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but worry that one of them might seek to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>more </span>
  </em>
  <span>than friends. After the game Shinsuke had attended six months ago, the MSBY Black Jackals had gone out for a celebratory dinner, and many of the team members had brought their significant others along with them... Many, but not all of them. Kotaro Bokuto had Keiji Akaashi; Shoyo Hinata had Tobio Kageyama; even Kiyoomi Sakusa, whom Atsumu was convinced used to have a crush on him, was in a relationship with his childhood friend Motoya Komori. But the other men were unknown territory. And what if Atsumu’s suspicions about Kiyoomi were correct, and beyond that, what if Kiyoomi’s feelings still lingered? Shinsuke spent the entire dinner sitting in silence and smiling politely while Atsumu boisterously joked around with his teammates. Shinsuke was fine with this arrangement, although a part of him wondered if the others had even acknowledged that he was there. Atsumu was physically incapable of lying to Shinsuke, so he knew he wasn’t having an affair, but the slight possibility that Atsumu might develop feelings for someone else subtly haunted Shinsuke.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A funny sort of smile came to Atsumu’s face. He was frankly offended, but also on the verge of tears, and joy was rapidly bubbling up inside of him. His crooked expression managed to reveal all of these conflicting emotions, and he made a short sound that was a combination of a laugh and a scoff. “Are you saying you don’t trust me to be faithful?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke shrugged and smiled. “Not necessarily. Of course I’d like to think that I trust you, but you’re just so popular that I can never be certain that somebody isn’t going to steal you away from me while I’m not there with you.” Atsumu huffed and started to protest, but before he could speak Shinsuke held out the ring, letting it dangle from its chain. “I know you won’t be able to wear it while you play, so I put it on a chain for you. Not that you can wear this either, but at least if it’s attached to something you’ll have less of a chance of losing it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The tears finally overflowed and trickled down Atsumu’s cheeks. “As if I would ever lose it!” He snatched the ring out of Shinsuke’s hands far more aggressively than he intended to, and wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean to make you cry,” Shinsuke apologized, although he continued to smile. Atsumu simply shook his head and sniffled, so Shinsuke enveloped him in a gentle hug. Atsumu immediately squeezed him tightly and buried his face in his partner’s hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I would never cheat on you, with or without a ring,” Atsumu insisted in a muffled voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know. I just get nervous sometimes, knowing that everyone you meet is likely to fall in love with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu scoffed. “I think you’re overestimating me... Not that I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>irresistible, but there’s a big difference between posing for pictures with some fangirls and dating or sleeping with somebody. Besides...” Atsumu lifted his face from Shinsuke’s hair and pressed their foreheads together instead, smirking. “You know that whenever I feel lonely, you’re always able to get me off through the phone. Nobody’s touch could </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>turn me on as much as just hearing your voice does.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Now who’s overestimating who?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu laughed and closed his eyes. “I mean it!” Keeping his face nose-to-nose with Shinsuke, he gazed down at the ring in his hand. “A promise ring, huh... Yeah, I can see why you couldn’t just mail this to me.” He carefully unclasped the chain and removed the ring, then slipped it on his finger. It was a perfect fit.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke’s shoulders subtly loosened with relief. “Oh, good, it fits. Maybe you can actually wear it as a ring when you’re not on the court.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t that the whole point of a ring? The chain can just be, like, a leash. So I don’t lose it, like you said.” Atsumu reluctantly took the ring off of his finger after giving it one last adoring look, then returned it to its “leash.” He slipped the chain over his head and admired the way the ring gleamed against his chest. Suddenly, though, he frowned. “You know, Bokuto is getting married to Akaashi... If he’s not too busy to plan a wedding, then neither am I!” His eyes started blazing with determination.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Shinsuke had purchased a promise ring instead of a wedding band for a reason. “Bokuto’s fiancé doesn’t have to run a farm,” he reasoned. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So?!” Atsumu snapped, quickly growing emotional again. “I love you, damn it! I know we only get to spend time with each other a few times a year, but why can’t we be long-distance </span>
  <em>
    <span>husbands </span>
  </em>
  <span>instead of boyfriends?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke tilted his head and gave a small smile, remaining calm even as his boyfriend grew passionate. “Atsumu, are you asking me to marry you?” he asked, only half-jokingly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The question caught Atsumu off guard. His face flushed red, and his mouth opened and closed a few times as he struggled to think of a response, but then he blurted out: “I—Yes, I am!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now it was Shinsuke’s heart that was set aflutter. Not that his expression betrayed that at all. “Normally the person with the ring is the one to propose... Although, I suppose we’ve never really had a traditional relationship anyway.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But Atsumu only seemed to hear the first half of his response. He stood up straight and puffed out his chest slightly. “Then I guess I’ll just have to buy you a ring. Where’s the closest jewelry store?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke blinked. He couldn’t tell if Atsumu’s burst of resolve surprised him, amused him, or made him fall in love with Atsumu all over again. Maybe it was all of the above. “Not close. It’s at least an hour by bus,” he answered.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get dressed and go catch a bus!” Atsumu exclaimed, spinning on his heel and starting to bolt back to the bedroom. Shinsuke grabbed his sleeve before he could get too far, though.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I do still have work to finish out in the fields,” Shinsuke reminded him. “We can go afterwards, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu’s enthusiasm didn’t dim for even a second. “Great! I’ll help!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“In the fields? It’s quite dirty work,” Shinsuke pointed out with a slight tilt to his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Atsumu just shrugged. “So? You’re the neat freak, not me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke smiled warmly and barely suppressed a chuckle. “Look at that, you’re already starting to sound like a farmer’s husband.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For the first time that morning, Atsumu actually looked embarrassed about his outburst. “Well-! ...Y’know, I really do like the sound of that... ‘Husband.’” His mouth abruptly turned up in a triumphant grin. “Shoyo’s going to be SO jealous when he finds out that you proposed to me before Tobio proposed to him! I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to rub this right in Tobio’s face.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Shinsuke shook his head fondly and quietly sighed. “I’m glad you can use our relationship to gloat now,” he said in his usual neutral tone, although the playful sarcasm was evident in his words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean ‘now’? I’ve always gloated about our relationship! I never shut up about how cool and compassionate my boyfriend is. It drives my teammates nuts,” Atsumu told him with pride. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This came as news to Shinsuke. His eyes widened, and he blushed uncharacteristically. “Oh? I... didn’t know that,” he murmured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Whoa, are you being shy? That’s unusual.” Atsumu turned to face him full-on and took his face in his hands, his expression turning serious. “You are the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me, Shinsuke Kita,” he insisted. His gaze was so intense that Shinsuke almost couldn’t bear to meet his eyes, but at the same time, he couldn’t possibly look away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re exaggerating again. I would say that working your dream job as a professional volleyball player on one of the best teams in Japan is far more impressive than dating a rice farmer that was never even a starter on your high school team,” Shinsuke reasoned gently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, maybe...” Atsumu hummed thoughtfully. “But </span>
  <em>
    <span>marrying </span>
  </em>
  <span>that rice farmer who was never a starter but still served as the reliable captain of Japan’s second-best high school volleyball team? I don’t think I could do much better than that.” His gaze softened, and he pulled Shinsuke into a soft yet passionate kiss. When their lips parted after what felt like a lifetime, Atsumu exclaimed, “Now let’s get to work so I can pick out a ring for you while it’s still daylight! Oh, and don’t forget about the dishes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Throughout the years that they had been together, Shinsuke always made sure to keep his home open and ready for Atsumu to visit comfortably. But now, Shinsuke realized with a soft smile, Atsumu wouldn’t be visiting his boyfriend and staying as a guest: he would be coming home to his husband, to the house that they shared together. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>